This invention relates to a unitary mounting device for an optical system comprising a pair of inclined mirrors and a lens system positioned between the pair of inclined mirrors.
Electrophotographic imaging apparatus such as copying machines are well known in the art. Generally speaking, these machines include an electrophotographic member which is transported past or through a series of work stations. The work stations usually include a charging station at which a uniform charge is placed on the photoconductive surface of the electrophotographic member, an exposure station at which the charged surface is exposed to a light image of the document to be copied so as to form thereon a latent electrostatic image, a developing station where the latent image is developed or made visible through the application of finely divided toner particles that adhere to the surface according to the latent image configuration, and a transfer station where the toned image is transferred to a secondary carrier material such as paper. In certain known modifications of these machines, one or more of the above stations are eliminated.
The electrophotographic member may be in the form of a plate, a drum or an endless belt. For high speed copying machines it has been found advantageous to employ an electrophotographic member in the form of an endless belt mounted on a plurality of rollers and to expose the electrophotographic member to an image of the document to be copied at a location where the belt is in a flat condition. The image of the document is projected onto the belt through some type of optical projection system.
The optical projection system may comprise a single lens system but usually includes in addition to the lens system one or more mirrors, the number and location of the mirrors depending on the physical location of the copy platen on which the document to be copied is placed relative to the exposure station where the latent image is to be formed. Normally, each one of the optical components making up the optical system is mounted on a separate support member which is fixed to the frame of or other part of the machine and precisely positioned so that it is in optical alignment with each one of the other optical components.
Adjustments must be made to each of the components of the optical system upon installation in the imaging apparatus, requiring individual manipulations subsequent to mounting for proper focus and alignment of the optical system insitu.
The optical component systems heretofore available require the allocation of considerable area within the cabinet housing for receiving the imaging apparatus, thus limiting greatly the availability of compact reduced bulk structures capable of desk-top utility.
Applicant has discovered that if the imaging can be effected upon flat portion of a belt located in a plane parallel to the plane of the copy platen of the apparatus, where the document to be copied is placed, and the surface carrying the formed latent image faces downward at the location of imaging, the optical system for projecting an image of said document to the receiving surface portion may comprise a "folded" arrangement including a pair of 45.degree. planar mirrors. In order to take advantage of such arrangement, a mounting or support structure therefor must be supplied. Availability of such mounting or support structure would enable material reduction of the area required to accommodate the optical system in the imaging apparatus housing, and hence, result in substantial reduction in the size of the overall unit.
Further, provision of such mounting component could enable assembly of the imaging unit from separately manufactured modular components, same capable of facile assembly and disassembly for repair, replacement or exchange of components for varied imaging purposes, with both economy and yet maintenance of accuracy.